MEDICATION GUIDE

Read the Medication Guide that comes with Methylin Chewable Tablets before you or your child starts taking it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This Medication Guide does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your or your child's treatment with Methylin Chewable Tablets.

What is the most important information I should know about Methylin Chewable Tablets?

The following have been reported with use of methylphenidate HCl and other stimulant medicines.

1. Heart-related problems:

sudden death in patients who have heart problems or heart defects

stroke and heart attack in adults

increased blood pressure and heart rate

Tell your doctor if you or your child have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems.

Your doctor should check you or your child's blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment with Methylin Chewable Tablets.

Call your doctor right away if you or your child has any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets.

2. Mental (Psychiatric) problems:All Patients

new or worse behavior and thought problems

new or worse bipolar illness

new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility

Children and Teenagers

new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, believing things that are not true, are suspicious) or new manic symptoms

Tell your doctor about any mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression.

Call your doctor right away if you or your child have any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets, especially seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not real, or are suspicious.

3. Circulation problems in fingers and toes [Peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud’s phenomenon]: fingers or toes may feel numb, cool, painful, and/or may change color from pale, to blue, to red.

Tell your doctor if you have or your child has numbness, pain, skin color change, or sensitivity to temperature in your fingers or toes.

Call your doctor right away if you have or your child has any signs of unexplained wounds appearing on fingers or toes while taking Methylin.

What Are Methylin Chewable Tablets?

Methylin Chewable Tablets are a central nervous system stimulant prescription medicine. Methylin Chewable Tablets are tablets that are made to be chewed and swallowed. They are used for the treatment of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methylin Chewable Tablets may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD.

Methylin Chewable Tablets should be used as a part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other therapies.

Methylin Chewable Tablets are also used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

Methylin Chewable Tablets are a federally controlled substance (CII) because they can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Methylin Chewable Tablets in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Methylin Chewable Tablets may harm others, and is against the law.

Tell your doctor if you or your child have (or have a family history of) ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

Who should not take Methylin Chewable Tablets?

Methylin Chewable Tablets should not be taken if you or your child:

are very anxious, tense, or agitated

have an eye problem called glaucoma

have tics or Tourette's syndrome, or a family history of Tourette's syndrome. Tics are hard to control repeated movements or sounds.

are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an antidepression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI.

are allergic to anything in Methylin Chewable Tablets. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients.

Methylin Chewable Tablets should not be used in children less than 6 years old because they have not been studied in this age group.

Methylin Chewable Tablets may not be right for you or your child. Before starting Methylin Chewable Tablets tell your or your child's doctor about all health conditions (or a family history of) including:

Tell your doctor if you or your child is pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Can Methylin Chewable Tablets be taken with other medicines?

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Methylin Chewable Tablets and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets.

Your doctor will decide whether Methylin Chewable Tablets can be taken with other medicines.

Especially tell your doctor if you or your child takes:

antidepression medicines including MAOIs

seizure medicines

blood thinner medicines

blood pressure medicines

cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants

Know the medicines that you or your child takes. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not start any new medicine while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets without talking to your doctor first.

How should Methylin Chewable Tablets be taken?

Take Methylin Chewable Tablets exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.

Methylin Chewable Tablets are usually taken 2 to 3 times a day.

Take Methylin Chewable Tablets 30 to 45 minutes before a meal.

Chew Methylin Chewable Tablets well and swallow with at least 8 ounces (a full glass) of water or other liquid. Methylin Chewable Tablets can swell and cause choking if enough liquid is not taken with them. Get emergency medical care if you have chest pain, vomiting, or trouble swallowing, or breathing after taking a Methylin Chewable Tablet.

From time to time, your doctor may stop Methylin Chewable Tablets treatment for awhile to check ADHD symptoms.

Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart, and blood pressure while you are taking Methylin Chewable Tablets. Children should have their height and weight checked often while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets. Methylin Chewable Tablets treatment may be stopped if a problem is found during these check-ups.

If you or your child takes too much Methylin Chewable Tablets or overdoses, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.

What are possible side effects of Methylin Chewable Tablets?

See “What is the most important information I should know about Methylin Chewable Tablets?” for information on reported heart and mental problems.

Other serious side effects include:

slowing of growth (height and weight) in children

seizures, mainly in patients with a history of seizures

eyesight changes or blurred vision

Painful and prolonged erections (priapism) have occurred with methylphenidate. If you or your child develop priapism, seek medical help right away. Because of the potential for lasting damage, priapism should be evaluated by a doctor immediately.

Common side effects include:

nervousness

trouble sleeping

headache

stomach ache

fast heart beat

nausea

decreased appetite

dizziness

weight loss

Talk to your doctor if you or your child has side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

How should I store Methylin Chewable Tablets?

Store Methylin Chewable Tablets in a safe place at room temperature, 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C). Protect from moisture.

Keep Methylin Chewable Tablets and all medicines out of the reach of children.

General information about Methylin Chewable Tablets

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use Methylin Chewable Tablets for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Methylin Chewable Tablets to other people, even if they have the same condition. It may harm them and it is against the law.

This Medication Guide summarizes the most important information about Methylin Chewable Tablets. If you would like more information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about Methylin Chewable Tablets that was written for healthcare professionals. For more information, please contact Shionogi Inc. at 1-800-849-9707 or visit the website at www.methylinrx.com.